Crossover mine switch



Patented Jan. 15, 1924.

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ROBERT T. BAGBY, or BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, Assrfenon or cnn-HALF To E. M.

. kunnen manine-HAM, ALABAMA.

caossovnia Minn swircn.

Application filed June 9,

To all who/m: imag concern.'

Bev it known that l, `ROBERT T. BAGBY, a citizen of the United States of America. -residing at Bi'rmingham,r in the county of Jeiferson and State of Alabama. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Crossover Mine Switches, of which the following` is specification.

My invention relates' to improvements iny cross-over switches'especially adapted for use in mines to avoid the dangers resulting from the employmentof frogs and switch points' interposed in the main track.

One object of my `invention is to provide the switch with a Apivoted turn-out rail coupled for movementfwith a pivoted latch for the liXed turn-out rail, said pivot having at one end a. point adapted to divert the car wheel from one main track rail thereunto and having at the other end an extension of its thread portion adapted to pass over the other main track rail. This arrangement is important in kthat all movingy switch parts yarepositively connected` for joint operation, L yA. `further object 'of my invention is to 'pro vide incline guides up which thel pivoted turn-out rail and the' latch rail ride when moved to operating position and which permit them when moved to inoperative position to drop suiiiciently to clear the rolling stock.` l ,V f

A further-object of my invention is to provide a haseplate especially designedvand adapted toffirmly support on the ties at one endthe'turn-out track pivot and at the other end to extend under a main track rail and to be interlocked withthe end ofthe siding rail withl which the pivoted turn-out rail aligns when in operating position.

Myinvention further comprises the novel details of construction andv arrangements of parts, which in Atheir preferred embodiment only are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which j K Fig. 1 shows in plan View my improved cross-over switcln the/ dotted lines showing theposition of parts with the vswitch open.

i Fig. 2 is afperspective view of the pivoted turnloutrail and its supporting base plate preparatory `to assembling. p

u Fig. 3 is yaside elevation taken on the line 3-2-3 of Fig. 1.

1923. seriai no. 644,343.

- Fig. 41 isla crossssectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

, Similar Areference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

I have illustrated my invention as designed for and adapted to heused in mines, but its advantages are obviously applicable `wherever short turn-out switches .are availablefor use. ris illustrated7 1 and 2 represent the main track rails ina mine, and 3 and 4 represent the siding rails leading to a room. The cross ties 5,. support the main track and the cross ties 6 lsuppoit the siding track. rThe siding rail 3 is mountedv at its end adjacent to the track rail 1 on a bracket or base plate 7 to which is pivotally connected a latchl rail ,8. This latch rail at its free end 9 is straightened and bevelled on the side adjacent to thel rail `1 :and also has its head or tread sloped downwardly approximately to the level of the rail 1 on which it rests in partl when in operatingy position. This latch rail also rests onan inclined guide or support 10 formed by a strap or bar having `an intermediate portion thereofsloped upwardly a'nd joining a horizontal ledge adjacent to the main track rail and supported by a filler QO'attached to thek ties. The turnout rail 11 is' provided'at its center with a pivot hole 12 drilled upwardly'thro'ugh its hase and partly through the web and adapted to receive a pivot pin 13 rigid on the base plate 14. The turn-out rail is formed by loendingy a single rail on the curve of the radius required for the turn-out tothe siding track and at one end the turniout rail 11 is provided with a bevelled taper point 15 corresponding to the latch railpoint 9 in that it is straightenedout and tapered to an edge to abut snugly against the track rail 2 This Vfree end of .the`

is anchored in a socket 17 rigidly attached to one end of the base plate 1A and having adjacent to it a raised support 18 which receives and supports the end 16 oif the pivoted turn-out rail. IThe base plate is provided with a series of inclined guide plates 19 and 19a formed by heavy metal bars having at one end a flange bolted to the base and joining an upwardly inclined intermediate portion and terminating in a horizontally disposed raised supporting shelf which'rests upon a space r block 20 interposed between it and the base plate. The shelf of the guide 19a has a shoulder 21 over which the rail drops and which thus serves to prevent it sliding back down the guides under wheel pressure. Three of these inclined guides 19 and 19al are disposed on one side of the pivot 13 and all have the same direction of inclination, and one incline 19 is disposed on the other side of the pivot and has its incline reversely disposed. The inclines are so disposed that when the pivoted turn-out rail moves to its inoperative position, shown in dotted lines Fig. 1, it is resting on the lower bases of the guides 10, 19 and 19, but as it is moved to operating position it rides up the several inclines and in doing so rides up on its pivot 13 which projects high enough to firmly yanchor the rail while yet permitting this limited vertical play.

The ends 9 and 15 of the pivoted switch rail and latch rail are connected by a bridle bar 22 having its ends upturned and inserted upwardly through holes in the rail bases kand there secured by cotter key or pins. By this means all moving parts of the crossover switch are coupled for joint and simultaneous movement. Ak single hold-down bracket 23 is also attached to the base plate in position to engage and overhang one side of the pivoted rail base when raised to operating position. It is to be understood that as many of these supports and inclined guides may be utilized as conditions require.

In operation, having assembled the switch parts in the manner described and provided ample'cross ties for securely anchoring the base plate and the bracket 7 in position,lthe switch is ready for operation and it is only necessary for the operator to grasp or kick either free end of the pivoted turn-out rail or the latch rail in the direction desired to cause them to ride up the inclines into operating position with the turn-out rail 11 caught and held by the shoulder 21 and hold-down 23. After lifting the turn-out rail 11 free ot its holding means the switch parts can be moved together down their respective inclined supports tov inoperative or open switch position.` Obviously, where desired, any standard switchoperating or locking mechanism will be` coupled to any moving part ot' the switch, but for ordinary mine service this is not needed. As the pivoted rail is moved towards operating position it rides up inclines which lift its tread extension 16 high enough tor it to swing over the main track rail 1 and come to rest aligning with the siding track rail 4l and resting on the supports 10, 18, 19 and 19n which will firmly support it, all presenting 'flat elevated surfaces of ample width to receive and support the base of the turn-out rail. It is important to note that when the switch is in inoperative position all ol its parts drop to a level that will clear all parts oiC the rolling` track. A

Though l have described with great particularity the details of the embodiment oi my invention herein shown, it is not to be construed that l am limited thereto, as changes in arrangement and substitution of equivalents may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention as deiined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is :fi

1. A cross-over switch comprising in combination with main and siding rails, a pivoted latch rail disposed to connect one siding and main track rail, and a single turnout rail pivoted at an intermediate point and adapted to connect the other main and siding rails.

2. A cross-over switch in accordance with claim 1, in which the pivoted latch rail has at one end a taper point to co-act with one main rail and at the other end an over hung tread adapted to overlie the other main track rail when the switch is in operating` position.

3. A cross-over switch in accordance with claim 1, in combination with means to couple the latch rail and the pivoted turn-out rail for joint movement.

11. A cross-over switch in accordance with claim 1, in combination with a base plate adapted to be mounted on the cross ties and extending diagonally of the main track to support the pivoted turn-out' rail throughout its adjusted positions.

5. In a cross-over switch, the combination with main track rails and siding rails, of a pivoted latch rail operable to connect one main and one siding rail, and an yintermediately pivoted turn-out rail adapted to connect the other main and the other siding rail, and means to elevate the movable switch rails as they are shifted towards operating position.

6. A cross-over switch in accordance with claim 5, in which the means Jfor elevating both the latch and the pivot-ed turn-out rail comprises guides disposed transversely of the track and having raised rail supporting ledges each connected to an inclined guide portion. v

7 A cross-over switchaccording to claim 5, in which one rail elevating means comprises an inclined guide terminating at a raised ledge having a shoulder over Which the rail drops in seating on the ledge.

8. In a cross-over switch for main and siding rails, a pivoted latch adapted to connect one siding rail and one main line rail, an interinediately pivoted turn-out rail adapted to connect the other siding rail and the other main line rail, a base plate carrying a vertical pivot for the turn-out rail on Which said rail is free to rotate and move axially, said base plate `comprising inclined track supports disposed to engage and elevate the pivoted rail thereon as it is moved to operating position, and having supporting ledges upon which the rail rests when elevated.

9. A cross-over switch in accordance with claim 8, in which said inclined track supports are disposed on each side of the pivot with their inclines reversed, in combination with a hold-down lug adapted to engage and hold the rail in elevated position on said supports.

l0. A cross-over switch in accordance with claim 8, in which said hase plate has its end remote from the pivot extended the siding rail With Which the pivoted turnout rail is adapted to align.

11. In a cross-over switch, main line and siding Tails, a pivoted latch adapted to connect one siding rail and one main rail, a pivoted turn-out rail adapted to connect the othersiding rail to the other main track rail, said pivoted rail having one end tapered and bevelled to co-act with the main rail and having its base and vveh undercut to provide an overhung tread adapted to connect With the siding rail, and a base plate carrying at one end a pivot for the turn-out rail and at the other end a support for its connecting siding rail and over- 1 hung tread, said base plate also carrying inclined guides adapted to engage and elevate the pivoted rail as it is moved to operating position.

ln testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

ROBERT T. BAGBY.

Witness NoMm WELSH. 

